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Over the last 6 months I have been making a conscious effort to eat well and think about what I am putting in my body. Basically, I’ve been trying to “get clean”.

It all started in January when I decided to do a 28 day detox program created by Arbonne. I love Arbonne products, and trusted the program. I had some work to do in regards to my eating habits and was excited to see what improvements I saw with my body and my health.

I love good food. And I could easily eat out every meal. I love to try new things and enjoy different foods. While this has been a great way to compile a list of ‘Best Food in Kansas City’, it has not been good for my body. I started to think about how often I had been getting sick, and how often I felt tired and sluggish. While lack of sleep could play a role, I didn’t think it was the main culprit.

Cutting back on all the pizza was a little hard!

My 28 day cleanse lasted about 21 days. And I cheated on the weekends. I mean, I have to live my life and if my friends invite me to happy hour I refuse to sit there and drink water and not eat. So making it through the week days “clean” seemed like a great goal for me. It also seemed like a great way for me to focus on what I was putting into my body and how it made me feel.

Yes, month one of the new “cleaner-eating-Ali” was a bit rough. I was cranky and just wanted my sweets and restaurant food. But each day seemed to get better than the one before. And I was noticing that while mentally I was a little bitchy, physically I felt awesome. And the stomach aches I often had subsided. I knew my mind would catch up to my body. And it did.

Before I make my food decisions now, I run through a list of questions in my head.

Do I really need to eat this? Usually, the answer is no. I used to snack ALL day. Now, I plan my snacks and bring them to work with me. Instead of eating pretzels, granola bars, or candy, I stick with a yogurt, nuts or a homemade energy bar or bite. And instead of drinking high calorie coffee drinks as an afternoon boost, I have tea or put some fruit in my water.

I make a breakfast item every week now as my pre-workout snack.

Obsessed with energy bites!!

Can I make it healthier? When cooking a recipe, I always look at the ingredient list to see what I can sub. Sometimes the results are good, others are not so great. But at least I tried. I also apply this to every day when I make my lunch. I used to put things on my sandwiches without even thinking about it. Now I use only ingredients that are beneficial to me and providing some sort of healthy benefit.

Instead of ground beef, I use ground turkey. This was an awesome Turkey Meatball recipe from my Runner’s World cookbook.

How will I feel after? Is eating this ____ (insert donut, cookie, etc) going to make me feel good afterwards (mentally and physically)? Is it really worth it? Sometimes, the answer is ABSOLUTELY YES. And sometimes it takes the greatest willpower on earth not to shove the bag of doritos my husband brings home into my mouth.

Never knew how much I loved stuffed peppers until the detox!

I do feel that the smarter-eating-Ali is a much healthier Ali. I am absolutely not a “clean eater” by the standards of some people, but I do believe I am much better than the average person. I have seen improvements in my body physically, and also mentally. I don’t know about weight loss, since I try not to use weight as a measurement, but my clothes still fit and I am feeling happier about my body. I have also been warding off illnesses and feeling more energized during the day.

I practice “Eat This, Not That” a lot at home. Ramsey always wants the pasta, so I am able to make myself a low carb version on lettuce.

Sure, I still have PLENTY of cheat meals. But I have far less of them than I did before. And to me, that is a victory (progress, not perfection). I am sure a lot of people would cringe with some of the junk I still put into my body. I’m not perfect.

I do not believe in depriving yourself, but I do believe in making smart decisions about what you’re putting in your body. If there is a day where my co workers bring cupcakes for a birthday, naturally I will eat one. Or two (ughhhhh). But then I go back to the clean eating ways and it all seems to even out.

I will never turn this down. I will just try not to eat the entire box of them 🙂

How do you balance your eating? Do you have any tips for someone who wants to make “cleaner and smarter” eating a part of their life?

11:30am – Catch up on Mom’s Gotta Run. Ever read Mom’s Gotta Run? If not, you should. Jen is awesome and has overcome so much. I was lucky to be connected to her through the NYC Marathon experience. Everything Jen had was taken during Hurricane Sandy, and the girl remains positive and inspiring. Check her out.

1:15pm – Eat lunch (leftovers from yesterday)

1:45pm – Dessert! An Arbonne Fit Chew.

I limit myself to 2 pieces of this gum throughout the day. It is just so good!!

2pm – Take a break between my client conference calls and put together my ‘No Nonsense Nelly’ folder for practice. The lesson tonight was one of my favorites. We talked about negative self talk.

3:45pm – Snuck up on Ramsey and snapped a pic!

3:50pm: Apple with PB.

3:59pm – Run downstairs for a meeting. Weighed down will all my crap.

5:00pm – Out the door! My office is on the left.

7:30pm – Home from GOTR practice, get the mail.

7:45pm – Eat an easy dinner. Peppers, onion, avocado, eggs.

Can someone teach me how to cut an avocado??

8:00pm – Make my lunch for tomorrow. How much avocado is too much???

8:20pm – Oh you know, just packing up all my crap for Thursday and Friday. I will be at Stacy’s tomorrow, and Ramsey’s Friday. I swear I am always packing!!!!!!!!

8:30pm – Sit on the couch and watch Rachel Zoe. Mindless TV at its best. Also, write this blog post!

Snack on some skinny girl cheesecake.

9:30pm – Set the alarm for tomorrow’s run. Snuggle into bed to try to get a good nights sleep!

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I have decided to do a little challenge for myself. It shall be called the “week in my life” challenge.

Basically what this challenge entails is taking photos throughout the day, starting on Monday and ending on Sunday.

Do I think you all care to see what I am doing at all times of the day? No. But do I think this challenge will help me? Yes.

You see, lately I have been having an insane amount of Jessie Spano “There’s never any time!!!!” moments. I actually yelled this phrase out to my boyfriend last week (20% joking, 80% serious). The last few weeks I have felt like I am running around with my head cut off. I don’t like this feeling at all. I don’t like to feel like I am losing control and not getting all my work (job and personal) done.

My hopes is that this challenge will show me where I am slacking in my schedule, where the inefficiencies lie, and how I can get better control of things (can you tell my job is being a project manager??). And YOU will hold me accountable.

So let’s get started. Monday’s are my CRAZY days in life and with work. Every Monday is nothing but a flurry of tasks, and running from one place to another.

4:20am – I wake up really really early so I can run before spin class.

4:45am – How am I not Mayor of my gym???

3 miles on the mill.

55 mins on the spin bike.

Get an awesome feel good text from my friend, Megan! Way to go, Megan!!!

8:37am – Get to work and think, “Why in the F is it snowing again????”

8:45am – Settle into my messy desk.

9am – Froth my coffee.

10am – Eat my breakfast and download my weekend with Hannah. Hannah – “OMG Jacque ate a razor blade yesterday!” Ali – “OMG I’ve never been treated so rudely than I was this weekend….What is their problem? I did not cheat on her brother or their son!!!! OR do anything but decide to do what made me a happier and better person. Why the attitude? I am sure he is happier now too without me always being stressed out and worried! Let’s move on people….I think we have other things to exert our energy on!!!!”

11:30am – Settle back into my desk after after a morning of meetings. Also, get a fix on my Bruno and Ellie G obsession.

1:30pm – Finally eat lunch in one of my meetings.

4pm – Stare at my Kanban board.

4:45pm – Change my pants and shoes for GOTR practice.

5pm – Cut up my apple and finally get a chance to see my sweetie! We might work together but really never see each other unless we try. In this instance, I made him come say hi!

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I often post about my love of Arbonne on this blog. I have used a ton of Arbonne products. Skin care, nutrition, vitamins – I have tried it. And I have loved it.

Recently, I decided to become an Arbonne Consultant. With my consultant status, I can order the products myself whenever I want, and can have people order through me whenever they want! It is basically a win-win.

Below I have put together a little snapshot of my favorite Arbonne products, along with a brief description (ok, not so brief but I love this stuff so much that I could talk about it all day). As I said earlier, I have tried a ton, but wanted to narrow down my can’t-live-without products for you.

Skin Care

1. RE9 Advanced Set
I am a skincare junkie, and semi obsessed with stopping the aging process. Sure, I am only in my 20’s BUT from the research I have completed, your 20’s is when you should really start with the anti aging measures.

The RE9 set includes an anti aging serum, eye cream, facial lotion, night cream, toner and face wash. I use all of the items in the set, and love them all. I used to always use a harsh toner for acne prevention, but found that this toner does the trick and actually moisturizes my skin. The eye cream is like heaven, night cream smells amaze and face lotion has been stolen by my boyfriend numerous times (I had to buy him his own!). All items in the set are must haves, but if you want to start small I would suggest the eye cream and face lotion. You can’t go wrong with those.

2. Cellular Renewal MaskThis stuff rocks. I love the way it tingles when you put it on and gives you the feeling that you can feel it working. This product is there to smooth out fine lines, reduce pours and remove age spots (pours and age spots are my top priority).

3. Exfoliating New Cell Scrub
I have always been a big fan of face scrubs. My cheap version I prefer is the St. Ives apricot, but my splurge version is this one. I use this scrub every morning in the shower with my clarisonic brush. I love the way my skin feels afterwards. This is another item that I have had to purchase for my boyfriend.

4. Revelage Intensive Pro-Brightening Night SerumAbove I mention the removal of age spots as a top priority. Well, let’s get real. My age spots are actually acne scars. I literally have a spot on my face for every zit I’ve had.

I started using this product three weeks ago, and can already feel a difference with my skin. My skin feels SO soft and smooth right now, and I love it! The only thing I can attribute this change to is the addition of this product in my daily routine. I really should’ve taken some before/after photos to document the reduction of spots, but please take my word for it – I can see some lightening of my skin occurring. I look forward to the next few months and monitoring the process of acne spot removal.

5. Revelage Concentrated Age Spot Minimizer
This product is the sister to the product above. I use this in the morning and apply small amounts to the spots I am most concerned by.

6. BefoRE Sun Lip Saver SPF 30
Basically, this is just a really good lip balm that has SPF. Great for everyday wear, especially before heading outside for a run. People ofter forget to apply SPF to their lips, but this product will ensure you get moisture and protection.

7. Aromassentials Awaken Sea Salt Scrub
This was my first ever Arbonne product I got YEARS ago! I LOVE this stuff. My hands feel baby soft after I use it, and it smells amazing. You can use it on your entire body, or just keep it next to your sink and use it daily when you wash your hands. It is the perfect product for the dry winter months.

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It probably sounds like I use too many products and I am overly obsessed with skincare. Well, it might be true, BUT I know my regimen is working. Recently I went to the dermatologist and had a skin consult performed. In this consult they score your skin and compare it to other people your age. My results came up with wrinkles in the 90th percentile, pore size in the 97th percentile, and age spots in the 80th percentile. I know my plan is working, and I will continue using these items every single day.

Now let’s move on…

Health and Body

I didn’t try the health line until last year. My first experience was posted on the blog (see review here), and since that post I have been hooked on the Arbonne Fit Essentials line.

1. Fit Chews
If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram, you know that I am trying to cut the sugar. The Fit Chews are the perfect way for me to indulge in a sweet after lunch and in the afternoon at work, and not totally blow my no sugar plan. The fit chews come in 3 flavors – chocolate, caramel and lemon. I have only tried chocolate and lemon, but I hear the caramel is great too. I eat at least 2 Fit Chews a day and see them as my no sugar saving grace.

2. Protein Shake Mix
I have tried lots of protein in my day, and this is BY FAR the BEST. When I drink this, it is like a treat. Sometimes I shake it in my shaker (see item 6) with almond milk or water, and sometimes I mix it up with my smoothies. Either way, it tastes great. And with 20g of protein and 160 calories per serving, it is a great meal replacement (I drink it for breakfast). Another tip is only using one scoop with almond milk when I need a quick snack, but not an entire meal (10g protein, around 100 calories).

The protein is 100% vegan, and with the bad press on whey and soy protein, this is all I will drink. If you are interested in trying the fit line, try this product. It might seem expensive compared to other products out there, but it is actually very comparable to other high end proteins (specifically another vegan protein powder).

3. Protein Shake
This is the pre made version of the powder above. It is less than 200 calories, and still packs in 20g of vegan protein. Perfect for an on the go meal when you’re in a hurry. I actually keep a few at work for emergencies.

4. Herbal Detox Tea
I never liked tea until I drank this stuff. The flavor is light, but still packs an awesome taste. It is caffeine free, therefore you can have a cup at night. This tea is supposed to help detox your liver and kidneys…which I need sometimes due to my love of wine. I always have a box at home and a box at work.

5. Nutrition Bar
The perfect on-the-go snack or pre-workout snack. This bar packs in 9g of vegan protein, and is under 200 calories. An awesome tasty treat.

6. Shaker
This shaker is the perfect size for my protein shakes. I have other shakers, but they are just too big for the amount I drink. This shaker is small and holds my shakes perfectly. It is also cheaper than my other version – only $7 (if you pay full price)!

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Now that I have shared all my favorites, I will tell you how to try these products too.

Sign up to be a Preferred Client for a one time (per year) $20 fee, and receive 20% off for the year

Sign up to be an Independent Consultant for a one time (per year) $79 fee, and receive 35% off for the year

If you are trying out Arbonne for the first time, look into option 1 or 2. Depending on how much you purchase, option 2 could end up paying for itself on your first purchase. Option 3 is best if you’re an Arbonne lover and know it will pay you back within the year. It is also good if you are interested in building a business as a consultant. I chose 3 because I use so many products, and now I can hook my friends up with the products too.

3. Next up, enter my sponsor ID: 12837771

4. Enter the requested information and verify

5. Add or ignore the product pop up prompts, and get to shopping

6. Proceed to checkout (be sure to check the bottom of the page to see if you qualify for free items!!!!)

7. Receive and enjoy!!!

If you don’t like it, you have 45 days to return for a full refund. Policy here.

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If you have any questions about products, let me know (mileswithstyle@gmail.com). I love to talk about these products because I believe in them. It is important to know that I was not given anything in this post for free, or am being paid for this post. I am writing it because I love the products and want to share them with you.

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Last week I wrote a blog post letting everyone know that I would be trying out the Arbonne Essentials line over the next 5 days.

After trying a ton of products, I have to say I was pretty dang impressed by all of them. Below is a full recap of the products I tried, and the thoughts I had on each of them. Enjoy!

Protein Shakes

Each morning, I would enjoy a protein shake on the drive to work. The pre-packaged shake mixes were great to blend up with some frozen fruit, water and chia seeds. They kept me full until lunch and tasted so good, it was like having dessert for breakfast!

The pre-made version of the protein shake was also great. It was very convenient and yummy!

Daily Power Packs

The power pack included 5 different vitamins.Packed in these 5 vitamins were 20 essential vitamins and minerals. The women’s version also included extra calcium to keep our bones mighty strong!

Sometimes multivitamins can make me feel nauseous, but I did not ever feel this way after taking these.

I did continue to take my nightly vitamins (calcium, vitamin C and fish oil) during this regimen, and never felt a vitamin overload” from taking so many. I just felt super healthy!

Energy Fizz Tabs

I, like many others, struggle with and afternoon sweet tooth and hunger.I was hoping that these fizz tabs would help with that problem, and keep me from indulging in any junk laying around.

I received the fizz tabs in two flavors: Pomegranate and Citrus. Both flavors tasted great!

The fizz tabs for sure helped with my afternoon hunger and gave me an extra energy burst. They actually kind of reminded me of Nuun, but had a stronger flavor. These tabs tasted great, and were an awesome way to perk up your water. Plus they only had 10 calories per tab!

Fit Chews

The fit chews were another great way to handle my afternoon hunger and sweet tooth!

The chews were a tasty chocolate, and did taste like candy! It was no Kit Kat, but it was still pretty darn good!

The chews are supposed to suppress appetite, and increase metabolism. I am not sure if helped suppress my appetite, but I can say it was a tasty alternative to hitting the candy jar at work (my worst enemy).

Herbal Detox Tea

I love having tea in the afternoon, and I was hoping that this tea would actually good. Well…it did. I am obsessed with it. And it is amazing.

The tea is supposed to help support body cleansing and liver and kidney health. I felt refreshed after drinking it, and I am already craving my next cup!

Final Thoughts

So…what did I think about the products and my week of Arbonne? Well…I LOVED it! I felt great while taking the products, and had amazing workouts all week. My energy levels were through the roof, and I looked forward to having the products everyday.

I cannot wait to get more of these products and continue to use them on a regular basis. Considering how amazing I felt after one week, I cant imagine what I would feel like after a month!

Want to try Arbonne too (and I really think you should)? Contact my friend Jessica that hooked me up with all this yummy goodness! You can contact Jessica via email: jvandenbos06@aol.com, on her website or on facebook! And be sure to tell her I sent you (maybe you can even get a deal on some stuff!).

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My friend Jessica was so kind to give me a weeks worth of Arbonne products to try out and review. I will be kicking off my week of Arbonne tomorrow morning, and will be following it through Friday.

For a sneak peak of the products I get to review, please keep reading!

The protein shakes are number one on my list of products to try! I have them in these little packages, and also in a pre-made bottle. I have vanilla and chocolate to try, and with 20 g’s of protein packed in these babies, I have a feeling they will be an awesome meal replacement.

The power packs are full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

Each pack includes 5 supplements, and each one does something super special and awesome for the body.

After a week of taking these supplements, I am hoping to feel the difference in my mood and energy levels. I am also always looking for supplements that make my tummy happy, and these claim to do just that. Bring it on, power packs!

I expect these fizz tabs to get me through my afternoon lull, which hits daily at 2pm.

The fizz tabs contain antioxidants, and a blend of nutrients to give me a boost of energy (ginseng, green tea, guarana). Best part about them is the fact that they only contain 10 calories, and come in a pomegranate flavor!

The Herbal Detox Tea will serve as my mid-morning and late night boost of heat. I love drinking tea for the warmth, and this tea will also benefit my body by naturally detoxing my system.

And with no caffeine, I can enjoy it each night.

Along with these products, I also have some other exciting products to try during the week. I will share all of these with you when I write my full review next Sunday. Look out for my tweets as well for a sneak preview of how I am liking these products!

Are you a fan of Arbonne? Any tips for me on how to maximize the results from the products?

Wishing you a great week ahead!

xo,

Ali

P.S. Are you intrigued enough by this post that you want to order Arbonne before I write the review? Contact Jessica at her website or on facebook!

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I Love to shop, run, read, blog, spend time w/friends & family, drink wine, and so much more!
Marathoner x8 (3:16 PR), Half Marathoner x 17 (1:30 PR) Girls on the Run Advocate and Board Member, and Hallmark'er at Hallmark Headquarters.
I believe in living a balanced life, and making the most out of every single day!